docs: add contributing guide for maintenance

Author: mwfarb

CONTRIBUTING.md

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+# Contributing to AllSpark Edge Server
+
+This document covers **development rules and conventions** specific to `AllSpark Edge Server`. These rules are mandatory for all contributors, including automated/agentic coding tools.
+
+## Development Rules
+
+### 1. Unified Configuration (YAML)
+
+All operational settings must be stored in `config.yaml`.
+- **No JSON:** The server has been refactored away from legacy JSON configurations. Do not write or rely on `.json` settings files.
+- **Namespaces:** Configurations must be split into two explicit namespaces: `mobile_client` (for device telemetry and synchronization endpoints) and `control_plane` (web dashboard and dashboard dependencies).
+- **Auto-generation:** The server must automatically handle fallback implementations and auto-generate any missing safe default configuration schemas upon launch.
+
+### 2. Architecture & UI
+
+- **Python First:** The server backend and GUI are python based. Do not use legacy Node.js workflows.
+- **NiceGUI Control Plane:** The Edge server control plane is built using [NiceGUI](https://nicegui.io/). Routing is natively managed by decorators (e.g. `@ui.page('/route')`). When creating pages, add a call inside the main process to initialize them dynamically.
+
+### 3. File-System Signals
+
+For anomaly event generation and signaling, do not deploy heavyweight MQTT brokers on the edge infrastructure unless absolutely required by other external systems. Utilize local native directory-watching mechanisms for tracking events and system logs.
+
+### 4. Dependencies — Pin All Versions
+
+**All dependencies must use exact, pegged versions** (no `^`, `~`, or `*` ranges). This prevents version drift across environments and ensures reproducible builds for security.
+
+## Code Style & Versioning
+
+- Enforce proper Python styling guides (`flake8` / `black` when applicable).
+- Keep requirements updated using frozen `requirements.txt`.
+
+The `allspark-agents` repository (including this Edge Server subproject) uses [Release Please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please) to automate CHANGELOG generation and semantic versioning. Your PR titles *must* follow Conventional Commit standards (e.g., `feat:`, `fix:`, `chore:`).